Teens and drugs: Craving parental guidance

December 23. 2013 12:42AMStudents at Keene State College have made a valuable contribution to the research on substance abuse in New Hampshire. Parents, you should note what these students have found.

Keene High School has one of the highest substance abuse rates in New Hampshire. In a semester-long study, some Keene State health science majors set out to learn more about drug abuse at the school. They found, as other studies have, that parental behavior is an important factor in teen drug use. But they also found that teens want parents to guide them toward responsible decisions.

The report noted that "students stated that some parents were not being good role models. They felt parents were too lenient and needed to have 'stronger' conversations with their children about the consequences of doing drugs. Several students said they knew of parents who were abusing drugs and that it was okay, therefore, for their children to abuse drugs too."

Contrary to popular belief, kids don't really want their parents to be "cool" and tolerant of self-destructive behavior. They crave guidance and firm parenting. They understand intuitively that parents who actively guide them to the right choices are parents who care about them. Parents, show your kids you care. It can make all the difference.